Google Gears Up to Be a Player Offline
5 Telcos Get a Shot at $20B in Government Contracts
PC maker Dell to cut 7,000 jobs
At least 7,000 jobs are set to go at computer firm Dell after it said it would cut its global workforce by about 10%.
A Flight Attendant’s Secrets
Beating the lines, navigating security, and making it onboard your flight is half the battle, but with planes likely to be as crowded as ever this summer, there's still plenty of opportunity to get stressed out inside the cabin. U.S. News asked flight attendant JoAnn Kuzma Deveny, author of 99 Ways to Make a Flight Attendant Fly–Off the Handle, to advise travelers how to make a packed flight as pleasant as possible–for yourself, and those around you. Deveny has spent nearly 30 years working for a major airline based in Minnesota that does not officially endorse her advice, and she works on narrow-body jets like the Boeing 757 and the Airbus A320.
If You Must Fly… Here’s How
Last summer was a tough one for air travelers, with widespread delays and crammed planes. And this summer could end up worse: So far in 2007, delays are setting records and planes are nearly as full as ever. That makes it critical to plan smart and react quickly when something goes wrong. U.S. News asked some travel experts how to make flights this summer as pleasant–OK, tolerable–as possible:
New Ways to Beat High Airfares
For the first time since 9/11, many of the big airlines are making money once again. But healthier carriers mean more uncomfortable fliers–and not just because of the pretzel-pinching. Airlines like Delta, United, American, and US Airways have trimmed their fleets and replaced some large aircraft with smaller ones, meaning flights are likely to be more crowded than ever this summer.
Where Airfares Are Rising And Falling
Flights aren't just getting more crowded. They're getting more expensive, too. The average domestic ticket cost $378 in the fourth quarter of 2006, the latest period for which data is available, according to the Department of Transportation. That's the highest fourth-quarter figure since 2000. Fares at the 100 busiest airports ranged from a high of $537 in Anchorage to a low of $234 at Dallas's Love Field–home of Southwest Airlines. Here's how the top 100 airports rank:
Ranking the Largest Airports
If you're flying this summer, bring a long book and a lot of patience. With a record number of passengers forecast to fly on U.S. airlines between June and August–nearly 210 million, according to the Air Transport Association–planes are likely to be more crowded than ever. Delays, which have been increasing across the system, may peak as well, as many airlines struggle to squeeze more customers onto fewer planes.
Ranking the Regional Airports
Small airports have a certain charm, especially when the hassle factor rises. The parking lots are closer to the terminal, lines tend to be shorter, and you can get to your gate without taking a train.